Piezo-electric type gas lighter

ABSTRACT

A piezo-electric gas lighter comprising a case having four side walls and a bottom wall with a through hole for a fixing screw formed integrally and provided with air hole near the upper opening thereof, and, a piezo-electric element unit and a tank inserted into said case. Said piezo-electric element produces discharge between electrodes with high voltages applied thereto when the piezo-electric element is struck with a moving member moving vertically and a hammer. Said tank is provided with a combustion valve on the top thereof and operating means and with a hole for a screw made at the same position as the through hole at the bottom of the case so that said tank may be fixed at the bottom to the bottom wall of the case with the screw.

Fujioka 1 1 May 13, 1975 PlEZO-ELECTRIC TYPE GAS LIGHTER PrimaryExaminer-Carroll B. Dority. Jr. [75] Inventor: Masayuki Fujioka. Tokyo,Japan Agent Fnm wemganen' Maxham [73] Assignee: Leo Mfg. Co., Ltd..Tokyo Japan [22] Filed: Dec. 4, I973 [57] ABSTRACT [21] AppL No: 421,733A piezo-electric gas lighter comprising a case having four side wallsand a bottom wall with a through hole for a fixing screw formedintegrally and provided with [52] US. Cl. 431/131; 431/l32; 431/255 airhol6 near the upper Opening h f uni a piez0 [5|] Int. Cl. F23q 2/08electric element unit and a tank inserted into Said [58] Fleld of Search43l/l30 l32, case. Said piezo electric demem pmduces disthm-ge Bl/255between electrodes with hi h volta es a plied thereto 8 g P when thepiezo-electric element is struck with a mov References cued ing membermoving vertically and a hammer. Said UNITED STATES PATENTS tank isprovided with a combustion valve on the top 3,077,759 2/1963 Gladitzetal. 431 131 thereof and Operating means and with a hole for 113734.680 5/1973 Marayama t. 431/255 screw made at the same position asthe through hole 3,741,714 6/1973 Yoshinaga 1 1 431/255 at the bottom ofthe case so that said tank may be 3.75 .7 9/1973 lshigllro y 431/255fixed at the bottom to the bottom wall of the case with 3,764,256l0/l973 Moriya 1 1 43l/255 h Screw 3.8l4.57l (i/I974 Goto 43l/255 6Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 23 I1 HJ 1;: l 77 Zl 1 29 13 D Twig 61 F 8--ii l x l lo a t- 1 I! i4 2 r l 1 I FIG.2

SHEET 10F 2 FlG.l

THEMED HAY I 3 i975 PlEZO-ELECTRIC TYPE GAS LIGHTER This inventionrelates to a gas lighter provided with an element for producing highvoltage with high impact applied thereto and a unit for imparting suchimpact to the element.

One object of this invention is to provide a piezoelectric type gaslighter. so arranged that assembling and disassembling is very easilyaccomplished just by tightening and loosening a screw joining a fueltank to a lighter ease having an opening at the upper portion throughwhich the tank is inserted together with a piezo-electric element unitand fixed to the case at the bottom.

Another object of this invention is to provide a piezoelectric gaslighter so arranged that a ball is used as a transmitting medium betweena moving member and operating means on the top of the fuel tank formaking the moving member operated smoothly in its linear vertical motionby the operating means which is turned around a shaft as a supportingpoint.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a piezo-electricgas lighter so arranged that a member for controlling a nozzle may bedisposed very easily around a combustion valve in a narrow spaceenclosed by the case, where such a member is otherwise very difficult tomount.

Still another object is to provide a piezo-electric type gas lighterprovided with a member for opening and closing an air hole made aroundthe combustion valve on one side of the case as the operating meansmoves.

A still further object is to provide a piezo-electric gas lighterprovided with a member for adjusting the combustion valve mounted on thetop of the tank from the lighter bottom.

The piezo-electric gas lighter of this invention for achieving suchobjects as described above comprises a case having four side walls and abottom wall formed integrally with an upper opening, tank and apiezoelectric element unit inserted into the case, and operating meanssupported on a shaft on the top of the tank, as main building members.

Referring now to the drawing, one embodiment of this invention will beexplained in detail.

FIG. I is a front view of a lighter in vertical section;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the lighter showing the case and the operatingmeans in vertical section at the side of a combustion valve;

FlG. 3 is a diassembled view of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the combustion valve and itsadjusting member mounted on a tank.

In the drawing, numeral 1 represents a lighter case. which is shapedlike a rectangular box having four side walls 2 and a bottom wall 5 witha through hole 4 made at the center and the upper opening edge 6arcuated at the left and provided with a plurality of air holes 7 at theright along the edge.

Numeral 8 represents a piezo-electric element unit having a fixed member9 like a square post with a similar moving member 1 I inserted thereinmovably up and down. In the lower space of the fixed member 9 is fixed apiezo-electric element 10 with leads. which is insulated with coating. Ahammer 12 is provided over the piezo-electric element 10 at a properdistance therebetween for its action of impact. The hammer [2 has aprojection held on the shoulder of an L-shaped slot made on the fixedmember 9 through a window provided within and on the side of the movingmember 11. A helical spring 13 is provided for imparting such impactbetween the hammer l2 and the moving member I l.

Numeral 14 represents a tank for fuel having a portion of almost thesame cross area as that of the inside of the case H. The tank has astepped portion 15 on which the piezoelectric element unit 8 is mountedat the left and a screw hole 17 made at the bottom 16 so as to meet thethrough hole 4 and a top portion on which an adjuster for the combustionvalve 19 is mounted. On the top of the tank is also provided a receivingpiece 21 supporting the combustion valve 19 and the operating means 22rotatably together with an electrode 20 for discharge, which isconnected to the leads.

The operating means 22 consists of a lid to cover the opening of thecase over the combustion valve 19 and a finger pressing portion formedintegrally. The finger presser is supported on the receiving piece 21through a pair of supporting pieces 23 provided vertically on the bothsides of the lid at the side of the arcuated edge. A ball 24 mounted onthe back of the finger presser is kept in contact with the top plate ofthe moving member ll. The ball 24 is set rotatably in a holder 25projecting from the back of the finger presser. When the means 22 ismoved to make the lid open on a shaft 26 of the receiving piece 21 as asupporting point. the ball pushes down the moving member I l, rolling onthe top flat plate from end to end. In the moving member ll thus pusheddown with the ball 24 the spiral spring 13 is first compressed with thehammer 12 held on the shoulder of the L-shaped groove. and applies itselastic energy to the hammer 12. The hammer 12 is then re leased fromthe shoulder because of the upper tapered portion of the window for themoving member 11, and strikes against the piezo-eleetric element 10 withthe resilient force of the spiral spring l3. As a result. voltage isproduced which is high enough to start discharge between a nozzle 19aand an electrode 20.

Under the supporting piece 23 is provided a pair of projections 28inward as high as a shaft hole 27 through which the shaft 26 passes. Thenozzle 19a is disposed between the projections 28 and the shaft 26. Anozzle control plate 29 is provided on the projections 28 by setting itinto the neck of the nozzle 190. When the projections 28 are movedupward together with the supporting piece 26 arranged integrally withthe operating means 22 with the shaft 26 as a supporting point, the neckof the nozzle 19a is pushed up so as to let liquified gas fuel flow outby opening the combustion valve 19.

The combustion valve 19, as shown in FIG. 4, has a tubular body 30extending from a bottom plate to a top plate 14b. 21 valve body 19bincorporating valve means at the lower end of the nozzle 19a and beingscrewed into the upper portion of the tubular body 30 so as to contactfuel control material 31 at the bottom. an adjusting shaft 32 pressingvariably against the fuel control material 31 at the top, and anadjusting screw 33 in contact with the lower end of the adjusting shaft32. Below a fuel inlet 14c formed in the lower portion of the tubularbody 30 is provided a nut 34 engaged with a thread made on the lowerinside of the tubular body 30 and serving as a receiving member for anadjusting screw 33. This nut 34 can be adjusted to a certain depth asrequired so as to preset the position of the adjusting screw 33 bycompressing or loosening the combustion control material. Numeral 35represents a helical spring for returning the screw.

With such arrangement of the lighter as described above, the operatingmeans 22 may be supported on the shaft on the top of the tank 14, andthe piezoelectric element unit 8 may be inserted into the case I throughthe upper opening along the side faces of the tank 14. Such individualmembers incorporated are fixed by fastening the screw 3. In this manner,it is easy to construct and disassemble the lighter. Furthermore, thepiezo-electric element unit 8 can be activated and the combustion valve19 can be opened just by pushing down the finger presser of theoperating means. Through the intermediate ball 24, the operating meansand the moving member 11, which move in different directions, areensured for their proper functions, causing very little loss in forcedue to frictional resistance. Thus positive lighting is achieved just bypressing down the operating means 22 lightly.

What is claimed is:

l. A piezo-electric gas lighter comprising:

a housing having four side walls, a bottom wall with a hole therein, andan open top;

an L'shaped fuel tank, the lower, wider, transverse portion of whichfits within the bottom inside of said housing, said fuel tank havingprojections extending from the top thereof and a screw hole in thebottom in alignment with said hole in said bottom wall of said housing;

a combustion valve having a tubular body mounted within the elongatedportion of said fuel tank and having a valve body extending through thetop of said fuel tank adjacent said projections;

operating means having an L-shaped configuration and being pivotallymounted to said projections, said operating means also serving as thecover of said lighter housing when in its normal position with respectto said housing;

means coupled between said operating means and said combustion valve topermit fuel to flow out of said valve when said operating means ispivoted away from its normal position;

a piezo-electric element positioned on the stepped portion of said fueltank and extending upward therefrom adjacent and parallel to saidelongated portion of said fuel tank, said pieZo-electric element havinga top plate, said operating means, when in its normal position, havingits elongated portion extending across the top of said piezoelectricelement and its short transverse portion extending down the side of saidpiezo-electric element past the top thereof, thereby coupling saidpiezo-electric element, said fuel tank and said operating means togetheras a unit;

said operating means having means for engaging said top plate of saidpiezo-electric element for actuation of said piezo-electric element bydepression of said top plate to produce an electrical dischargesimultaneously with the flow of fuel from said combustion valve toignite said lighter when said operating means is pivoted away from itsnormal position; and a screw for removably securing together saidhousing with the unit comprising said piezo-clectric element, saidoperating means and said fuel tank by passing through said hole in saidbottom wall of said housing and engaging said screw hole in the bottomof said fuel tank.

2. A lighter according to claim 1 wherein said housing includes airholes through at least one of the side Walls thereof adjacent a topcorner of said housing; and

wherein said operating means is formed with opaque support pieces whichpass between said valve body and said air holes when said operatingmeans is in its normal position, thereby occluding said air holes;

said air holes being adjacent the nozzle of said combustion valve andbeing exposed to the interior of said housing when said operating meansis pivoted away from its normal position.

3. A lighter according to claim 2 wherein the top corners of twoopposite side walls of said housing are rounded adjacent the oppositetop corner from said air holes, said operating means having a roundedportion configured to operatively engage said rounded corners of saidside walls, said rounded corners being concentric with the pivot of saidprojection from said fuel tank, said operating means sliding around saidrounded surfaces of said side walls when pivoted away from its normalposition to operate said lighter.

4. A lighter according to claim 1 in which the operating means consistsof a lid and a finger presser formed integrally, said lid havingvertical supporting pieces on the both sides under which a pair ofprojections are provided as high as shaft holes on said supportingpieces and said projections through which pass a shaft, and is supportedrotatably on the shaft over the tank, and a member for opening andclosing the nozzle is provided between the shaft and said projections.

5. A lighter according to claim 1 in which a ball rolling along the topplate of the moving member is used as a transmitting means between theoperating means and the piezoelectric element unit.

6. A lighter according to claim 1 wherein said tubular body of saidcombustion valve is fixed between the bottom and top plates of the tankand has a fuel inlet in the lower portion, said valve body having valvemeans therein and a nozzle mounted so as to be free to move up and down,said valve means being screwed into the upper portion of said tubularbody so as to contact a fuel control material at the bottom thereof,said valve means having an adjusting shaft inserted from the bottom forcompressing said fuel control material variably at the top thereof andan adjusting screw for operating said adjusting shaft, the adjustingshaft and the adjusting screw being interconnected by engagement of theadjusting screw with a nut provided for preventing the adjusting shaftfrom falling, said nut being engaged with threads made on the innerlower wall of the tubular ,0 body at the lower end of the adjustingshaft.

1. A piezo-electric gas lighter comprising: a housing having four sidewalls, a bottom wall with a hole therein, and an open top; an L-shapedfuel tank, the lower, wider, transverse portion of which fits within thebottom inside of said housing, said fuel tank having projectionsextending from the top thereof and a screw hole in the bottom inalignment with said hole in said bottom wall of said housing; acombustion valve having a tubular body mounted within the elongatedportion of said fuel tank and having a valve body extending through thetop of said fuel tank adjacent said projections; operating means havingan L-shaped configuration and being pivotally mounted to saidprojections, said operating means also serving as the cover of saidlighter housing when in its normal position with respect to saidhousing; means coupled between said operating means and said combustionvalve to permit fuel to flow out of said valve when said operating meansis pivoted away from its normal position; a piezo-electric elementpositioned on the stepped portion of said fuel tank and extending upwardtherefrom adjacent and parallel to said elongated portion of said fueltank, said piezo-electric element having a top plate, said operatingmeans, when in its normal position, having its elongated portionextending across the top of said piezo-electric element and its shorttransverse portion extending down the side of said piezo-electricelement past the top thereof, thereby coupling said piezo-electricelement, said fuel tank and said operating means together as a unit;said operating means having means for engaging said top plate of saidpiezo-electric element for actuation of said piezoelectric element bydepression of said top plate to produce an electrical dischargesimultaneously with the flow of fuel from said combustion valve toignite said lighter when said operating means is pivoted away from itsnormal position; and a screw for removably securing together saidhousing with the unit comprising said piezo-electric element, saidoperating means and said fuel tank by passing through said hole in saidbottom wall of said housing and engaging said screw hole in the bottomof said fuel tank.
 2. A lighter according to claim 1 wherein saidhousing includes air holes through at least one of the side wallsthereof adjacent a top corner of said housing; and wherein saidoperating means is formed with opaque support pieces which pass betweensaid valve body and said air holes when said operating means is in itsnormal position, thereby occluding said air holes; said air holes beingadjacent the nozzle of said combustion valve and being exposed to theinterior of said housing when said operating means is pivoted away fromits normal position.
 3. A lighter according to claiM 2 wherein the topcorners of two opposite side walls of said housing are rounded adjacentthe opposite top corner from said air holes, said operating means havinga rounded portion configured to operatively engage said rounded cornersof said side walls, said rounded corners being concentric with the pivotof said projection from said fuel tank, said operating means slidingaround said rounded surfaces of said side walls when pivoted away fromits normal position to operate said lighter.
 4. A lighter according toclaim 1 in which the operating means consists of a lid and a fingerpresser formed integrally, said lid having vertical supporting pieces onthe both sides under which a pair of projections are provided as high asshaft holes on said supporting pieces and said projections through whichpass a shaft, and is supported rotatably on the shaft over the tank, anda member for opening and closing the nozzle is provided between theshaft and said projections.
 5. A lighter according to claim 1 in which aball rolling along the top plate of the moving member is used as atransmitting means between the operating means and the piezo-electricelement unit.
 6. A lighter according to claim 1 wherein said tubularbody of said combustion valve is fixed between the bottom and top platesof the tank and has a fuel inlet in the lower portion, said valve bodyhaving valve means therein and a nozzle mounted so as to be free to moveup and down, said valve means being screwed into the upper portion ofsaid tubular body so as to contact a fuel control material at the bottomthereof, said valve means having an adjusting shaft inserted from thebottom for compressing said fuel control material variably at the topthereof and an adjusting screw for operating said adjusting shaft, theadjusting shaft and the adjusting screw being interconnected byengagement of the adjusting screw with a nut provided for preventing theadjusting shaft from falling, said nut being engaged with threads madeon the inner lower wall of the tubular body at the lower end of theadjusting shaft.